In mythology, what is the difference between a carp-turned dragon and a snake-turned dragon? Will there be a difference in status?

There is a saying in "Shuowen Jiezi": "Dragon, the length of scale insects, can be secluded and bright, can be small and large, can be short and long, ascend to the sky at the spring equinox, and dive into the abyss at the autumn equinox." Dragon, the most mysterious in the world Since ancient times, the debate about its existence has not stopped. The square believes that the dragon is one of the 12 zodiac signs. Since the other 11 zodiac signs are real creatures, the dragon should also be. However, the opponents don't think so. Dragons are creatures imagined by human beings and worship supernatural power. Moreover, the dragon totem was formed in ancient times, and its body must reflect the historical truth.

Strictly speaking, the image of the dragon has been "evolving", and it was basically stabilized after the Song Dynasty. At first, the dragon was not endowed with the ability to "fly", let alone the clouds and the fog, the wind and the rain, and even a little stagnation in the air did not exist. Later, the dragon-shaped cultural relics of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties were gradually unearthed. It can be seen that some of them resembled snakes and some of them resembled crocodiles. Obviously, the image of the dragon is the result of development and inheritance. In other words, it was created by the real world. evolved from animals. In addition, in ancient mythology, there are only two sources of dragons, one is a snake and the other is a carp. Then, what is the difference between a carp and a snake?

As we all know, the myths and legends of a nation are often the reflection of the ruler's ideology, and with the extension of time, the belief will become more and more firm. In fact, whether it is a carp transformed into a dragon or a snake transformed into a dragon, there is a meaning of "class transition". In order to show their noble status, there are always people who use "dragon" to advertise themselves. In the Spring and Autumn Period, the sages of Confucius once praised Laozi as a "dragon-like" god-man. This is a naked praise, and even Confucius is not exempt from the common. In addition, in order to deify himself, Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, said that he was the "product" of his mother and the dragon. Over time, the emperor had a new nickname - the real dragon and the emperor.

No matter in which era, the ultimate dream of people at the bottom is to achieve a class transition. "Study and become an official" and "carp into dragon" actually represent the same meaning. However, empty dreams are of no avail. For thousands of students, no one is willing to be labeled as a "utility". They reflect their dreams into myths, so there are "snakes and dragons" and "carps." Dragon" legend. However, from the point of view of animals alone, there are obvious differences between snakes and carp. The process of snakes turning into dragons is a "natural" step-by-step process, while carp turning into dragons is more like a qualitative transformation, which is the ultimate of the species. evolution.

There is actually another saying about "carp transforming into dragon": carp jumps into the dragon gate. According to myths and legends, as long as the carp successfully leaps over the Longmen (the canyon in the Yellow River in the Hejin section of Shanxi), it can become a dragon in an instant. Even so, from the point of view of the success rate, there are very few carp that can jump over the Dragon Gate. However, the opportunity is not only once, as long as the carp is still alive, you can continue to challenge. In real life, the carp turning into a dragon corresponds to the imperial examination. There is only one champion, and most people are destined to accompany them. However, once you achieve fame, you will achieve a class transition. It is not an exaggeration to call it "stepping to the sky". For grassroots children (such as Fan Jin in "School of Foreign Affairs"), the imperial examination is the most direct way to "jump". .

The process of turning a snake into a dragon is much more difficult. First, the snake has to evolve into a python, then the python evolves into an anaconda, then the anaconda becomes a dragon, and finally, the dragon can evolve into a dragon. Yinglong is the god of creation in ancient mythology. Generally, dragons are not qualified to advance to Yinglong. Only snakes can reach this level step by step. Moreover, every time a snake evolves, it has to go through a catastrophe. As long as it can't survive it once, it will be chopped up to the point where there is no slag left. To put it bluntly, compared with the carp and the dragon, the snake and the dragon are the real life after death.

Due to different difficulties, the status of carp and snake into dragon is also different. If it is reflected in real life, it is the difference between a general who has experienced hundreds of battles and a champion. A champion can enter the dynasty and become an official. Worshiping the prime minister is always subservient to others; while generals hold military power and have the possibility to succeed in the turbulent times and become emperors. The difference between the two is believed to be clear at a glance.